Transport container from plastics with cover

ABSTRACT

A thin-walled transport container made from plastic material, is provided with detachable supporting faces near two oppositely situated walls for supporting the bottom of a similar container to be stacked thereon and is situated below the upper edge of the walls. The supporting faces constitute a part of a cover to be placed on the container.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Leendert Van Daalen Slikkerveer.Netherlands 21 Appl. No. 793,146 [22] Filed Jan. 22, 1969 [45] PatentedJune 22, 1971 [73] Assignee N.V. Plastic lndustrie van DaalenSliedrecht, Netherlands [32] Priority Jan. 25, 1968. Feb. 21, 1968 [33]Belgium (31] 53,762 and 54,487

[54] TRANSPORT CONTAINER FROM PLASTICS WITH COVER 2 Claims, 5 DrawingFigs.

[52] U.S.Cl 220/97 [51] lnt.Cl 865d 21/06 [50] Field of Search 220/97,97

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2/1965 Blackmore 11/1965 Bromley7/1967 Slapnik.... 9/1967 Ricci 12/1968 Asenbauer FORElGN PATENTS 2/1959Italy Primary Examiner-George E. Lowrance Attorney-Waters, Roditi,Schwartz & Nissen 220/97 (E) 220/97 (E) 220/97 220/97 220/97 (F)PATENTEU M22 IQYI SHEEI 2 BF 3 TRANSPORT CONTAINER FROM PLASTICS WITH ACOVER The invention relates to a transport container with thin walls andmade of plastic, comprising a bottom and four upstanding walls. Suchtransport containers can be manufactured in an inexpensive way from thinplastic sheets by the aid of techniques known per se, like blowing andvacuum molding. The utilization of this thin walled material has,however, as a consequence that owing to the small difference between theinner and outer size a number of identical containers cannot be stackedwithout special measures being'taken. For, when the containers aresimply stacked, they will slide into one another clue to the smalldifference between the inner and outer diameter. When no expensivecollapsible dies are used, it is, by the aid of the aforementionedtechnique, impossible to form an outwardly directed flange wall in thevicinity of the bottom of a container, since then the container cannotbe discharged from the die.

It has already been suggested to combine a plastic thinwalled containerwith an outer container of cardboard in such a way that the assemblypermits stacking. This solution is in itself satisfactory for relativelylarge containers, as they are used for the transport of vegetables andfruit to and from the market, although the presence of the cardboardouter container causes an increase of the price'of the unit. Fortransport of containers which are principally destined for transportingsmall quantities of vegetables and fruit this solution is less suitablesince then such a container becomes too expensive. Moreover suchcontainers, when empty, cannot be fitted into one another.

It is an object of the invention to provide a thin-walled transportcontainer which can be manufactured at a very low price, while measureshave been taken permitting the proper stacking of the containers.

It is a further object of the inventioh to provide a thinwalledcontainer capable of being stacked which, even when the container ismade of very thin material, has a relatively great resistance againstdistortion and allows the stacking of a number of filled containerswithout damage to the lowermost container, which must withstand thetotal weight.

A transport container according to the invention is characterized inthat adjacent at least two oppositely situated walls a detachablesupporting face for the bottom of a similar container to be stackedthereon is provided, said supporting face being situated below the upperedge of the wall concerned and, on its sides directed to the adjacentcontainer walls, merging into upstanding edges which are continued inbent over edge portions gripping around the upper edges of the containerwalls.

The transport container in itself may be manufactured at a low costprice and, if constructed with slightly inclined walls they can wellnest into one another, which means that for storage and transport anumber of containers of equal dimensions can be slid into one another,whereby a large number of containers occupy little room. The supportingmembers may also be individually capable of nesting and be mounted veryeasily. This is advantageous in that prior to the utilization of thepacking, the stock of packing material takes up a small space, whileafter having been used the supporting members can again be removed fromthe containers and also then a great number of containers takes uplittle space. Furthermore the supporting members, since they constituteseparate parts may have a different color from that of the containerresulting in an attractive appearance.

In many cases it is desii'ed that the containers not only meet theaforementioned requirements but are moreover provided with a cover, thearrangement being such that the filled containers, which are providedwith a cover, should be capable of being stacked on each other, whilethe loose covers should also be capable of nesting into one another.Because such containers are often manufactured with large dimensions andthus should be capable of accommodating a weight of several kilograms itis desired that the containers in a condition ready for use should havea great resistance against torsion and bending. These containers shouldfinally be manufactured at the lowest possible price and must thereforehave a simple shape which permits the manufacture thereof by the aid ofavacuum molding process.

A transport container according to the invention and meeting theserequirements is characterized in that at least two oppositely situatedwalls of the container are profiled in the direction of the heightthereof, while the two supporting faces constitute a part of a cover tobe disposed on the container, the surface of the cover being countersunkwith respect to the upper edge of the container and the surface of thecover being surrounded by upstanding edges fitting within the containerwalls, the upstanding edges merging into edge portions which grip overthe bent over upper edges of the container, the edges adjoining theprofiled container walls being correspondingly profiled.

The combination of the container with the cover presents a rigidbox-shaped, unit which is resistant to distortion, while the cover mayserve as a reception space for condensate amassed in the containersituated on top thereof and discharged via apertures in the bottom ofthe latter container.

Preferably the upper ends of the nonprofiled'walls lie, for a part oftheir length, under the level of the underside of the depressed portionof the cover. In this way there is a space between the underneath faceof the cover and the lowered portion of the longitudinal walls whichpermits the container to be ventilated, while moreover the contents ofthe container are visible.

When an entirely closed cover is not required, an aperture may be madein the depressed surface of the cover through which the contents of thecontainer are visible at a glance.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention willappear in the description to follow. In the description reference ismade to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and inwhich there is shown by way of illustration and not of limitationspecific forms in which the invention may be embodied.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of an embodiment of the container accordingto the invention with two supporting members provided therein;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of one of the supporting members as used inthe container according to FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of two stacked containers each with a coveraccording to a first embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the container with a cover according toFIG. 3, a part thereof, however, being cut away; and

FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of a second embodiment of the containerwith a cover, a part thereof being cut away in this case too.

The thin-walled container, denoted as a whole by the reference numeral1, manufactured from plastic sheet has short end walls 2, 2 in which acorrugated profile is formed. The upper ends of the four container wallsare outwardly bent over; in the figure the bent over edge of the longsidewall 4 is indicated by the reference number 3. This bent over edgehas an upwardly inclined portion 5, 6 respectively in the proximity ofthe end walls 2, 2' respectively.

A supporting member 9 is placed around this upwardly inclined portionand around the bent over edge 7, 8 respectively. This supporting memberis shown in detail in FIG. 2. It consists of a narrow and oblong bottomportion 10 which, on three sides, merges into the upstanding edges ll,l2, 13. Via flat upper edge portions l4, l5 and 16 these upstandingedges merge into clamping edges l7, l8, 19 respectively gripping aroundthe wall portions of the container.

The supporting member 9 is very easily mounted by pressing the samearound the wall portions concerned. The member can be made sufficientlyrigid in order to insure that two of such members can stand the weightof a loaded container bearing thereon by its bottom portions. It becomesfurthermore possible to give the supporting members a color whichdiffers from the color of the plastic from which the container ismanufactured, whereby a specially decorative container is obtained.

The container as shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 has a bottom 20 in which anumber of discharge apertures 21 for water is provided. The bottommerges into the upstanding outwardly inclined, i.e. corrugated shortwalls 22 and into the nonprofiled long walls 23. As shown in the figuresthe horizontal part 24 of the short walls 22 and portions of the longwalls 23 situated in the vicinity of the corners merge via a flangededge 25 into a downwardly directed edge 26 protruding outside thecontainer. The raised portion of the long walls 23 merges, via a bridgeportion 27, into the lower situated upper edge 28 of the long walls. Thefigures show how this upper edge 28 is situated below the level of theupper edge 24 of the profiled short walls.

Each container is covered by a cover which as a whole is denoted by thereference numeral 29. This cover consists of an end edge 30, the shapeof which corresponds to the shape of the edge portions 24, 2S and 26 ofthe container such that this edge portion fits snugly around thecontainer; it merges into a supporting face 31 which bears on the upperedge 24 of the container. The longitudinal end portions 32 of the coverlie at the same level as the portion 31. These end portions surround adepressed portion 33 which, as shown in FIG. 3 shows, is spaced from thebottom of a container placed on the cover. The space between the bottom20 and the depressed portion 14 of a cover 29 serves to receive thecondensate discharged via the apertures 21 in the bottom 1.

As FIG. 3 shows there is a certain spacing between the lower end of theouter edge 34 of the cover and the upper edge 28 of the longitudinalside of the container. Hereby it becomes possible to ventilate thecontents of the container while it nevertheless is protected by thecover 29. Through this spacing the contents of the container arevisible.

Since the cover grips firmly over the short sides and encloses also anupstanding portion in the vicinity of the corners of the long sides, thecontainer combined with the cover constitutes a rigid unit which has agreat resistance against torsion and bending. On stacking, the stackedcontainers are properly held in place, to wit by the upstanding portion30 extending on the entire short side, and by the smaller upstandingportion 35 available in the comers of the long sides. In this way it isachieved that also in the event of strong vibrations the containerscannot shift with respect to each other.

HO. shows another embodiment of the container which may be combined witha cover. This figure, too, represents only a fragmentary perspectiveview of the container, viz. a

corner portion, the other part of the container being cut away. Theshort sides of the container, one of which is only represented, arevertically profiled with alternate ridges and grooves as denoted by 37;the upper edge 38 of the sidewall merges into the bent over portion 39.The longitudinal walls 40 of the container, likewise only one of whichis partially represented, have over a small part from the short sidesthe same height as the upper edge 38 of the short walls but via thebevelled portion 41 these upper edges merge into the lower portion 42.The profile 37 of the short wall 36 is continued over a short distanceinto the profile 43 of the longitudinal wall 40.

The bottom 44 is provided with discharge apertures 45 for water. A covermay again be placed on the container viz., the cover 46, which, withflanged edges 47, grips over the upper edges 38 of the short end walls36 and the portions of the long walls 39 situated at the same level. Theshort walls of the cover have a profile corresponding with the profileof the short walls 36. The profile 49 is also continued over a shortdistance in the long walls.

On stacking a container on the cover, the corresponding portions of theprofiles 36 and 48 fit into each other and the same is true for theprofiles of the lon itudinal walls of the container and the cover. Acontainer 4 stacked on the cover 46 is hereby secured againstdisplacement in both directions. Since the corners 50 are inwardlybevelled, it is easy to place a container on the cover of the underlyingcontainer.

FIG. 5 shows an aperture which can be formed in the cover 46 so that thecontents of the container are visible.

Having thus described the invention and manner of its operation what Iclaim as my invention is:

l. A stackable thin-walled transport container made of plastic materialand comprising at least two oppositely situated walls which arevertically corrugated along their length, and walls connecting thecorrugated walls and being at least partly smooth along their length, adetachable cover adapted to be placed on the container, said coverhaving a central part which is depressed with respect to an upper rimthereof and is surrounded by upstanding edges which snugly fit withinthe inside of the container walls, said upstanding edges merging intoedge portions which extend over and grip the upper edges of thecontainer, the edges of the cover adjoining the corrugated containerwalls being correspondingly corrugated, while said at least partlysmooth walls of the container have upper rim portions which areconstructed so that, with the cover in place, a part of their lengthlies below the level of the underside of the recessed part of the cover.

2. A container according to claim 1 wherein an aperture is provided inthe depressed part of the cover.

1. A stackable thin-walled transport container made of plastic materialand comprising at least two oppositely situated walls which arevertically corrugated along their length, and walls connecting thecorrugated walls and being at least partly smooth along their length, adetachable cover adapted to be placed on the container, said coverhaving a central part which is depressed with respect to an upper rimthereof and is surrounded by upstanding edges which snugly fit withinthe inside of the container walls, said upstanding edges merging intoedge portions which extend over and grip the upper edges of thecontainer, the edges of the cover adjoining the corrugated containerwalls being correspondingly corrugated, while said at least partlysmooth walls of the container have upper rim portions which areconstructed so that, with the cover in place, a part of their lengthlies below the level of the underside of the recessed part of the cover.2. A container according to claim 1 wherein an aperture is provided inthe depressed part of the cover.